The invention relates to a button delivery system for sewing machines and particularly to improvements in a button delivery system comprising a button supply system, a button feeding mechanism, and a support system for the button feeding mechanism.
The many articles such as clothes which include buttons have resulted in the need for manufacturers to have economical operations for sewing the buttons on the articles rapidly and repetitively. A system for sewing buttons on articles preferably has the button positioned automatically on the article and with respect to the sewing machine so that the sewing needle passes through the holes in the button for sewing the buttons onto the article. Misalignment of the sewing needle with respect to the holes in the button can result in the buttons being damaged, the needle being broken, and/or the button not being sewed on the article. In the prior art, the equipment for automating the sewing of buttons on articles has been broadly separated into a button supply system and a button feeding mechanism. Generally, the button supply system such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,337,089 to Bronfman includes a hopper for holding a plurality of buttons to be used, a system for discharging buttons from the hopper in a predetermined orientation, such as face up, and a chute through which the discharged buttons slide to a button feeding mechanism for a sewing machine. The chute must have a cross sectional area which allows the buttons to move down freely but is not large enough to allow several buttons to collide with each other and cause a jam within the chute. The button supply system such as disclosed by Bronfman requires the availability of flexible chutes having cross sections with different sizes in order to have the proper size chute for the buttons being used. In addition, the transition from the use of one size button to the use of another size button requires a mechanic to change the chute and also requires the associated sewing machine be taken out of service while the mechanical changes are being carried out.
A button feeding mechanism such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,382,824 to Bronfman receives the button from the button supplying system, orients the button so that the button holes are aligned in accordance with the predetermined sewing pattern of the sewing machine, and then feeds the oriented button into the clamp of the sewing machine so that the operator of the sewing machine can initiate a button sewing sequence of the sewing machine which includes moving the clamp with the button to the article, sewing of the button onto the article, and raising the clamp to its original position to receive another button for subsequent sewing operations. The button feeding mechanism disclosed in this patent has a complex mechanical linkage for feeding a button into the clamp of the sewing machine and another complex mechanical linkage to commence a button feeding sequence for a certain movement of the sewing machine. A relatively large drive motor is needed in order to provide a sufficient mechanical drive for the mechanical system. Although not mentioned in the patent, the button feeding mechanism must be positioned with respect to the clamp of the sewing machine so that the height, various angles of orientation, and spacing of the button feeding mechanism is within predetermined tolerances to allow the smooth interaction between the button feeding mechanism and the sewing machine. In the prior art, it has required a skilled mechanic to both install a button feeding mechanism and reinstall the button feeding mechanism after it has been removed for service. As a result, both the initial installation and reinstallation of the button feeding mechanism can be costly and time consuming.